Lost Love
by lady kitsune-tsuki
Summary: Who will be there to pick up the pieces of her shattered life when all others are gone? Is it truly better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?
1. The Woman in the Rain

** Hey, this is my second story here and I hope you all enjoy it!**

**I do not own "Naruto" or any related characters**

* * *

Though she walked on without a thought, her feet knew the exact place of their destination. She often came here in search of refuge. The packed earth path was familiar to her. Her hands lightly grazed the tall, playful reeds that swayed along the river's edge. The irises were in bloom. For a moment she gazed at the painted flowers. Any other day, she would have been pleased at such a discovery, but not today. Today, the beauty of the flowers fell upon eyes blinded by sorrow—eyes that could no longer see beauty. Slowly she moved on. Her feet finally led the dazed woman to her destination. Her favorite spot in the whole village: a small wooden bridge that crossed a narrow river that cut through her village. No one else was around that day, probably due to the threatening rain clouds overhead. She did not care. It was best she was alone, and perhaps better too if the sky shed the tears she refused to let fall. The light noise of her feet on the wooden bridge seemed to echo in the quiet. She came to the center and lifted her heavy eyes. A familiar scene spread itself before her: homes, businesses, shops, all full of life, but dead to her. The river's surface rippled in the wind. The willows let their long arms sway gently. She placed her hands delicately on the railing. She began to tremble. As if an enormous weight had been placed upon her, the woman fell to her knees, her hands now clutched on the railing. Her body shook uncontrollably. She bit her lip in protest of the tears that threatened to slip from her eyes. How could he leave her like this? Why must she be left to exist in this cold world utterly alone? She felt like a hatchling flung from its nest and dashed to oblivion before it even had a chance to attempt the wonder and bliss of flight. There had been so much potential—potential happiness, love, but it was all taken away prematurely. Dreams she had harbored deep within her heart would never be realized, not now. Not after today. She lay there in a heap on the bridge, the epitome of hopelessness and despair. She could hold the tears back no longer. Streams of sorrow covered her cheeks. Choked sobs filled the air. As if to weep with the poor creature below, it began to rain. Big heavy drops crashed down. Her clothes grew heavy and her skin cold from the rain. She welcomed the cold, perhaps it could make her numb. She did not want to feel, not now, not ever again.

The sound of footsteps broke her solitude. She could hear the characteristic plop of water beating down upon an umbrella. The footsteps drew near her and stopped before setting foot on the bridge. The owner of the umbrella waited for her to acknowledge his presence. She did not look up, but continued to shake.

"Let's get you out of the rain," a familiar voice suggested softly, but still he made no attempt to move toward her.

"I'm fine," the young woman lied through her teeth trying to hold back the sound of her broken sobs. He waited in silence.

"Then at least let me bear the storm with you."

The ferocity of her sobs lightened slightly. He took her response as a "yes." His footsteps made the wooden bridge creak as he moved toward the crumpled form before him. He said nothing. He reached her side and simply stood there next to her, tilting his umbrella just so that she was shielded from the relentless rain. With patient eyes, the man simply gazed out onto the river bellow them. Time swept on unconcerned with the pair. His eyes eventually fell to the woman at his feet. It hurt him to see her in such pain. She of all people did not deserve this. She had already lost so much. True he had not known her very intimately, but he knew enough.

This woman was fun and quirky, irresistibly cute when she wanted to be, graceful without trying, and compassionate. She was a rare creature who truly cared for all around her. Though she had a right hook that could crumble boulders, she also had one of the biggest hearts he had ever seen. No. Such things should not happen to such blameless people. Not to her. She should never have had to fell the pain she was suffering now. If only he could make it go away.

He tentatively reached out his free hand, intending to place it on her shoulder in sympathy and comfort. No sooner had his hand brushed her shoulder that she violently pulled away. He bit his tongue at her reaction. It was going to be difficult, but he had to save her from the sorrow that was consuming her. He let her cry. Words were meaningless, touch obviously not a help. The only thing he could offer was his presence. He hoped it was enough for now. In time, her sobs slowed. She sniffled as she wiped the tears from her face. She inhaled deeply and rose to her feet. She wobbled slightly; she had lost feeling in her legs sitting crumpled as she had. He instinctively made to assist her. She stumbled into his arms. She was freezing and soaked through. Her hair lay strewn across her face in wet locks. To his surprise she did not leap out of his arms. Instead she leaned into him.

"I've got you," the man muttered gently. She began to cry again, but softer than before. She clung to his jacket and cried into his warm chest. He encircled her in his arms, repeating in her ear, "I've got you." She let herself melt into him. She was thankful he had found her and had stayed. She felt bad for having pulled away before, but now she needed the small comfort found in human contact. He did not say anything like "It's going to be ok…" such words would have seemed utterly ridiculous to her. But he was there and that was all he said to her. For now it was enough.

"Shall we get you back to your place?" he asked gently, but he would stand all day in the rain for her if she wanted. The woman nodded slightly. The pair walked away in silence. She was glad so few people were out and about. The rain had kept everyone else tucked away safe and warm inside.

They reached her apartment complex in no time. The man walked her all the way to her door. He waited by as she fumbled with her keys, her fingers numb from the cold. He was not quite sure if he should stay or give her some privacy. He shuffled his feet uncomfortably as she managed to unlock the door.

She motioned for him to come in. He slowly followed her into her modest apartment. He had only been there once before when she recruited the lot to help her move in. Back then, the place was little more than a maze of boxes and furniture. Now it had the warm feeling of life and a hint of a feminine touch. His attention snapped back to the soaked kunoichi in the room with him. She hadn't made if very far. She stood motionless in her living room; she did not know what to do anymore. For a while she simply stood there dripping; small puddles gathered at her feet.

The man made his way to where he vaguely remembered putting the towels. The girl had changed her mind so many times about where to put the stupid towels. If he remembered correctly, he packed and unpacked her towels at least five times in the course of the afternoon she had moved in. And who was to say she hadn't changed her mind again after he left. Thankfully, he found them with only minor trouble.

Towel in hand, he walked back over to the dripping woman.

"Thought you might need this," he said with a small smile. In his outstretched hand was a fluffy pink towel.

"Thanks," she grabbed her towel. She looked down at her feet, unable to communicate. She wrapped herself in the warmth of her towel. She had not pegged him for the thoughtful type, but then again she never took the time to notice. She sat down on her worn sofa. The man however, did not join her.

She could hear him fumbling in her kitchen for something. Moments later, he returned tea cups in hand. He pushed one of the cups into her numb hands.

"It will help warm you up," the man stated, "oh, I almost forgot… you like honey with your tea right?" He pulled a small honey bottle from his jacket pocket. She nodded and eagerly accepted the plastic bear container. How did he know she always had honey with her tea? She brushed the thought aside as she imbibed the liquid warmth. It felt good to her chilled body. He sat down with a cup of his own and warmed his hands on the mug. The two passed time in silence. What was there to say? Words could not heal this hurt- hopefully time could.


	2. The Death of Uzumaki Naruto

**I do not own "Naruto" or any related characters**

The shinobi looked at the pink haired kunoichi sitting on the couch near him. She had lost so much. A few years back, it was Sasuke when he attacked the village. After him it was her sensei, Kakashi; he had died when Akatsuki came after Naruto in full force. Even the man they replaced Sasuke with had died. He vaguely remembered it had something to do with an organization called "Root." And now… He had been all she had left. It was unthinkable that he could really be gone. The knuckle head ninja had seemed indestructible, simply due to his refusal to give up or give in.

Naruto had been on a mission with ANBU in Grass. Of course they would never know the details of the mission or what went so terribly wrong, but they were told that the entire team had been wiped out. He had heard that the battlefield was so destroyed they could not even find Naruto's remains. Well that wasn't completely true; they had been able to find his blood stained forehead protector. It had been given to Sakura at his funeral.

The entire village and a bunch of people from all across the Five Great Nations came to mourn him. Naruto would have been happy to learn that so many people came to respect him, to love him. It was evident that day that many were pained by his death. Hinata had been a sobbing mess. Tsunade hit the sake with ferocity attempting to numb the hurt. Even those who hardly ever showed emotion succumbed to tears. Shikamaru had let his tears fall freely. He remembered Choji trying to comfort Ino, both sobbing softly. Neji had even said how unfair the whole thing was; it was Naruto's destiny to be Hokage, to live, but the unthinkable happened. It was obvious though that none had loved him more than she. She was perhaps the only one to hold back her tears. But still her pain was nearly palpable as she stood still as stone at her best friend's funeral.

"Thanks for pulling me out of the rain, Kiba" Sakura broke the silence that had lingered over them and pulled him out of his memories.

"No problem," the hound-nin looked down into his mug. He couldn't help but notice she was still shivering. "Maybe you should get out of those wet clothes," he suggested gently.

Sakura seemed to be pulled back to reality. "Oh, yeah." She rose and disappeared to her bedroom.

He sipped his tea quietly in her absence. It was hard to believe that the creature before him was the same adorable, cheerful, lively girl he had known since his days at the Academy. Was that girl lost forever? He pondered these things as he looked into his mug. She returned, clad in baggie flannel pants and a sweatshirt at least two sizes too big for her frame. She sat across from him on her couch. Her gaze wandered to the streams of rain slipping down her window. She stared blankly off into the wet world outside.

"It's not fair you know." Her voice was devoid of emotion, as blank as the gray clouds above. "I finally came to my senses about him. We were falling so wonderfully in love. We had the real thing. He even teased that he was going to marry me too, after he became Hokage of course. I don't see why he had to be taken away from me too. I know I sound so selfish." He sat there listening intently to her. She was releasing the hurt slowly. "Part of me still believes it isn't true, that he's alive somewhere and we'll be together again." Finally her voice began to break. Pools of water formed in her soft green eyes. "I don't know if I can do this without him. What do I do? How am I supposed to live without him? I've lost everyone. He meant so much to me." Fear crept into her eyes. She looked exactly like a toddler whose security blanket had been snatched away: bewildered, scared, exposed, completely vulnerable. Kiba took a moment and just looked at her. Why did God see it fit to put this angel through hell? Sakura began to shake softly; instinctively the young man reached out to her. He took her into his arms and let her cry. The young woman's hands clutched onto his shirt; she buried her head into his chest. Gently he rubbed her back, attempting to comfort her. She curled up into him; he let her sink into him. Mumbled words of agony tumbled from her soft lips.

"Shhh. I'm here. I've got you." He whispered in her ear. She cried herself to sleep in his arms. He dared not move for fear of waking her. He rested his head against high back of the chair. His thoughts swirled within his mind. He was angry, sad, confused, and numb all at the same time. He could only imagine what she was going through. He looked down on the girl curled up in his arms. At least she could escape in sleep; she could dream of happier times. She looked so innocent, so vulnerable in his arms. He had never really taken the time to realize just how beautiful she was. She was stunning even in sleep. Her long dark lashes gently closed over her enchanting green eyes. Her lips parted slightly as she slept. He smiled; nothing less than an angel lay in his arms right now. He would do everything in his power to protect and comfort her. The small, broken angel had found a guardian to watch over her as her broken wings healed.

The woman in his arms stirred lightly. She was probably uncomfortable scrunched up as she was. He debated momentarily as to what to do. Slowly and without waking her, the shinobi shifted his hold on her and rose from the chair. He carried her into her room and lay her down gently on the bed and covered her with a nearby blanket. The sleeping figure stretched in appreciation. He quietly cleaned up their tea mugs. He jot down a quick note and turned to leave the apartment.

He took a final look at the sleeping kunoichi before leaving her to her peaceful reprieve. "You should never have had to experience this. I know I could never fully understand your pain, your loneliness. Wish as hard as I might, I cannot make it all just go away," he clenched his fists as he spoke half to himself, half to her. It was torture to know he was completely unable to fix it, to dry her tears. "But this I can do," he continued, "I will be here, whenever you need. Anything you need, just name it- even if it's just standing in the rain with you." His voice trailed off. He desperately wished he could do more. He longed to save her from this hell, but he could not. His head dropped in defeat. "Sweet dreams, Sakura."

Sakura tentatively stretched her sore limbs. It was incredible how emotional pain could translate to physical pain. She rolled herself over attempting more sleep. Her stomach let out a low rumble. How long had she been asleep that she was now hungry? Blindly, she groped for her clock. Reluctantly Sakura opened her eyes to check the time; she had been asleep for a few hours now. It was indeed time for dinner. She frowned. She did not want to deal with cooking tonight. Maybe Ichiraku delivered, she thought wishfully.

Sakura reluctantly wiggled out of the safety of her bed. She sat on the edge and pondered her choices for dinner. Kiba had obviously slipped out when she was asleep. He was certainly being compassionate and helpful, but he was no Naruto. Naruto always seemed to know the right thing to say or do to make her feel better. He knew her so well, so completely. She doubted if anyone else would ever come to know her as deeply. Would she even allow herself to open up that much again? A surge of loneliness crashed upon her. Tears began to well up anew.

She was alone in her room. She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders. She felt numb, physically, emotionally. Pictures adorned her walls. She need not look up at them, she knew those pictures by heart. The pair at the Ichiraku, the ramen shop where they had their first date—they had most of their dates there actually. A sunny spring day down by the river. The summer matsuri where he won her a tiny goldfish. The two of them playing in the snow on one of Konoha's rare snow days. And of course, her faded picture of Team 7. Naruto's smile weighed heavily on her heart. The pictures would need to come down; she would not be able to have his smiling face around her without breaking down into sobs.

She mechanically removed the pictures. She could not put them away for good just yet. Her desk was basically clutter-free, so she gently composed them into a pile atop it. The young woman retreated back to the security and warmth of her blanket. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms about her legs. She was alone-desperately alone.


	3. To Comfort

***** I do not own Naruto or any associated characters *****

Sakura was unsure as to just how long she sat there motionlessly. The sorrowful woman probably could have sat there all night, staring out blankly, but her stomach had different plans. The kunoichi unwillingly got up and sauntered into her kitchen.

After staring into her refrigerator for a good five minutes, she finally decided to make what was left of her tub of ice cream into dinner. She sat down, tub in hand and flicked on the television. She really wasn't watching but it was nice to have some noise in her otherwise quiet apartment. She tucked her legs neatly under her and sunk into her overstuffed chair. It was her favorite spot in the whole apartment, right next to the window. Her eyes wandered to the world outside. Konoha sprawled out before her eyes. She observed the few people braving the rain to get their errands done. Time existed outside of her window; for them it was just another rainy day. But within the confines of her small apartment, time was in a suspended state. Would time return to her? Or would she be swallowed in this moment of agony forever?

Sakura dug deeper into her ice cream. She usually did not "eat her emotions" but she decided to make an exception for tonight. The vanilla ice cream with chocolate and caramel swirls was a comfort tonight.

Her eyes wandered to the coffee table. Upon it was a note. She looked at it curiously. She picked up the letter and attempted to read the scribbled handwriting. _Kiba must not have earned high marks in penmanship_ she thought to herself.

_Sakura,_

_If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. Whatever you need. _

_-Kiba and Akamaru _

Sakura let herself smile at his thoughtfulness. She had not expected to find a friend in the hound-nin. But perhaps a friend was just what she needed. The pink haired woman finished the tub of ice cream faster than she expected. She glared at it; perhaps she could will it to produce more edible goodness. She sighed in defeat. From her stomach came a low rumble.

"I just fed you," she reprimanded her stomach. Her shoulders drooped; she really did not feel like cooking tonight. Her eyes found their way back to Kiba's note. Perhaps she would just call him out on his offer.

--

"Kiba," Kiba's sister, Hana, called out to her younger sibling.

"Yeah," Kiba replied lazily from his comfortable spot on the couch. He was sprawled out, shirt off, Akamaru by his side.

"A Miss Haruno is here for you," she reported to him. She eyed him curiously.

"What?!" Kiba jumped up in surprise. Kiba's sister giggled as she left the room and Sakura took her place. She had changed into her usual attire, but was again rather wet.

"Uh, Sa…Sakura," the hound-nin was not expecting to see her at his home. "Do you have something against umbrellas, you're soaked again." Kiba regained his composure. Sakura simply shrugged in response. "Hold on, let me grab you a towel." Again Kiba left to grab the soaked woman a towel. He took a quick sniff of his towel before passing his approval to give to the kunoichi.

She took his towel and briskly rubbed off the excess water. He motioned for her to have a seat on the couch. Akamaru greeted her with a soft nuzzle of his massive head.

"Hey there," she cooed out to the canine. "So… do you always lounge about without a shirt?" She cast a shy glance in the brunette's direction.

Kiba blushed furiously. How had he forgotten he was topless? He laughed nervously.

"Just one sec." The brunette darted to his room and grabbed the nearest shirt that could pass for clean.

"So, what brings you here," the now dressed shinobi asked. He was not upset to see her, but confused. She had never been to his place before, as far as he knew she hadn't even known where exactly he lived.

"I'm just taking you up on your offer." Sakura responded lightly. Kiba instantly remembered the note he left.

"Yeah sure," he ran a clumsy hand through his messy chocolate hair.

"I, uh, just didn't want to be alone," Sakura admitted sheepishly. Kiba looked at the woman next to him; he would do anything to help her survive the sorrow. An awkward moment of silence fell upon the room. The pink haired woman shifted her weight uncomfortably. Kiba's mind was racing trying to figure out what to do. It wasn't like he was unaccustomed to dealing with girls, but this was completely new. He'd been known to make mistakes at crucial moments before. He hoped he wouldn't blow it this time too; she could not afford that kind of a mistake.

Akamaru was the first to disrupt the silence. The hound let out a small whine and nudged his master's knee.

"What do you want boy?" Kiba asked. Akamaru let out another small whine. "Of course, sorry I forgot." Kiba picked up the remote. "Sorry about this, but his favorite TV drama is on…" Kiba looked away sheepishly. The other let out a soft giggle.

"And what kind of drama does a ninja hound fancy?" Sakura smiled softly at the pair. The trio settled into the worn couch as the drama began. Akamaru was completely enthralled with the show. Sakura watched in amusement as the hound wagged his tail at happy moments, hid his face at scary ones, and whined when the protagonist did not succeed in getting the girl.

The drama ended in full suspense. Kiba clicked the TV off which led to another whine from the giant hound.

"You know they only show one a week; we'll just have to be patient." Kiba consoled his furry friend. Sakura stifled a laugh; she had never guessed the hound to be so enthralled with a TV drama.

The giant white beast moped around for but a moment before trotting off toward the kitchen. He returned with his large red food bowl in his mouth, his giant tail wagging expectantly.

"Is it that time already?" The hound simply continued to wag his fluffy white tail. Kiba turned to face Sakura. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" His eyes were warm and welcoming. Sakura looked into his eyes for a moment before responding.

"If it's not too much of an inconvenience," she responded respectfully. She tried to remain polite and without expectation, despite her growing hunger.

"We would love to have you join us. It was just going to be pretty lonely with just the two of us; isn't that right boy?" the hound pranced playfully.

"But what about your family?"

"My mom is out on a mission and my sister is going out for the night with friends. Please say you'll stay," his brown eyes softened.

"Just don't make anything spicy ok?" She responded lightheartedly.

"Mild flavors, got it," Kiba commented to himself with a smile.

The trio made their way into the kitchen. The space was warm and welcoming. Sakura had noted that the entire Inuzuka compound was nothing like what she expected. She expected to find a more chaotic and … well… wild living space. She had not expected the house to be practically spotless or have a feeling of calm and safety. It was one of those few places that anyone could find refuge at.

She casually leaned against the kitchen countertop. Kiba busied himself gathering ingredients. He was swift and efficient. He was by no means a novice in the kitchen. For a moment she just watched.

"What do you feel like having tonight, Akamaru?" without missing a beat Kiba asked his best friend for ideas on the evening's menu. "But we had that two nights ago." The kunoichi admired the connection between the two. "Do you think she will like that?" Sakura tilted her head; there he was being thoughtful of her presence and needs. "That sounds like a plan." It would appear that the duo decided on what to prepare for dinner.

"Can I help?" the woman asked gingerly.

"Tonight you are our guests; your orders are to relax and enjoy yourself," Kiba smiled playfully.

"Are you sure?" She stretched out her words tauntingly. "I make some excellent daifuku."

The man paused in his preparations; the offer was blatantly tempting. "Alright, but only because you seem so adamant about it."

Sakura smirked in triumph. The two set out to prepare silently. Sakura occasionally broke the silence to ask where things where. Moments slipped by as the tempting aroma of their cooking filled the air.

"I think I'm beating you," Kiba commented as he added the last few ingredients to his dish.

"Are you making this a competition?" Sakura replied without taking her eyes off her preparations.

"Everything's a competition! And I'm still beating you," he smirked.

In a few minutes dinner was ready as Sakura's daifuku cooled. The trio, Akamaru included of course, sat down to a delicious looking dinner. Kiba prepared a special dish for his best friend and fed him first before focusing his attention on his pink haired guest.

"So what do you think?"

"I honestly didn't know you could cook like this," Sakura admitted as she admired the dinner spread.

"I've been cooking for Akamaru since he was a pup. Cooking for myself just came naturally after that." Kiba explained.

"And it's delicious," the woman eagerly ate more.

"I'm glad you like it."

"I know absolutely nothing about you, Kiba." Her green eyes looked right into his dark brown.

"What is there to know," the brunette shifted his weight awkwardly.

"You tell me," she teased. "Let me see, I know your birthday is in July…"

"July 7; yours is March 28 right?"

"Yep, and you like steak…"

"Come on that one's too obvious," he smiled lightheartedly.

"You have perhaps the best sense of smell of anyone in Konoha; you're competitive, and … um…" she searched her memory for facts about the hound-nin. "Oh… you've never dated a kunoichi from our group," she smiled in satisfaction.

Kiba tried to stifle his laugh. "With the exception of the last one, the others are practically common knowledge."

The woman's pale green eyes shifted to the table. The kunoichi knew next to nothing of real substance about the man sitting across from her. Part of her wanted to find out who this shinobi was, but another part, deep within her soul, whispered words of danger of opening up her life to another human being. Her mind saw two options, live a life of solitude apart from all human bonds or create new bonds that could potentially break her already shattered heart.

Her change in demeanor did not go unnoticed. Kiba watched her intently. He wished he could understand all the minute changes in her countenance. The crease in her brow, the slump of her shoulders, the growing gray in her pale green eyes… all these tiny details had meaning and importance; he just wish he knew her enough to understand them all.

Akamaru watched the pair with interest. He could feel the change in their attitude; he did not like it. The air had been light and happy, but now it was heavy and upset. This would not do. The oversized dog got up from his place next to Kiba. Carefully the hound made his way toward the source of the uncomfortable air, the girl who smelled like spring. Slowly he reached her side; gently he nuzzled his big wet nose into her listless hands. He rested his head on her lap. For a moment, the woman did not respond. She looked down at the hound and stroked his massive head.

"Looks like you've got a new friend," the shinobi remarked with a small wolfish smile.

Sakura looked up at him and then at the giant dog at her side. She smiled softly.

"I guess I've got some competition now too; he's never taken to anyone so quickly. I'm a little jealous." Kiba tugged the pink haired woman out of her shell of sadness.

"Thank you," Sakura smiled down at Akamaru. "Both of you," green eyes met brown.

"Come on, your food is getting cold," he smiled.

--

After the food was gone and dishes put away, the trio returned to the living room.

"What would you say to a game of cards? Usually I play with Shino, but he's kinda boring. Shikamaru always beats me, and Akamaru, sorry boy, but he just stinks at it." Kiba flashed the kunoichi his famous wolfish grin.

The two set about playing cards and snacked on the fresh-made daifuku.

"So…" the pink haired woman broke the lingering silence. "How exactly did you know I like honey in my tea?" Her eyes remained on her cards as they played on.

Kiba tousled his hair with his free hand and blushed slightly. "I really like the smell of honey. It was a really long time ago. I don't know if you even remember…" Kiba looked away and took a bite of his daifuku, "This is really good by the way," he mumbled with his mouth half full. "It was after my third mission; it was a really nasty one- for the nose I mean. I walked by that old tea shop; you and Ino were there. That's when I smelt the honey. It was the best thing I had smelled in a long time. I guess it just really stuck with me. So that was the first scent association I made of you." Kiba put down another card.

"Wait… scent association? What exactly is that?" Sakura tilted her head in curiosity.

"It's an old Inuzuka trick. It's difficult trying to just remember what scent goes with whom, so we're taught to first make scent associations. The idea is, if I can remember that you associated smells are honey and cherry blossoms— that one's obvious— then there is a better chance of me remembering your true scent." Kiba placed a card down on the pile between them.

"So let me get this right. When you think of me you think of my smell?" Sakura toyed with a pink strand of hair in slight confusion.

"Something like that. It's designed so that if I ever needed to find you quickly I could remember what you smelt like without having an article of clothing." Kiba explained slowly. "But you don't smell like honey or cherry blossoms really." Kiba placed another card down on the pile between them.

"But I thought that's… I'm a little confused," she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"People's scents are complicated and individual. It's just a memory trick to associate a more basic scent with a complex one."

Sakura thought this over for a moment. "So what _do _I smell like?"

Kiba blushed again. "Do you really want to know?"

"I'm curious," the woman replied.

"Alright, get up." Kiba rose and placed his cards down on the table. "Get over here." Sakura timidly rose to her feet and made her way to the hound-nin. "Close your eyes. Relax." Sakura did as she was told. The world went dark as she closed her eyes.

Kiba moved closer to the pink haired woman. "Underneath the perfumes, the soaps, lotions, and shampoos, there is a true scent. The fragrance of your skin—your essence." He lowered his head toward her neck; his brown hair tickled the soft skin of her neck. He breathed slowly and deeply. A light blush came to Sakura's cheeks. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. Her heart beat faster. "Wow." The brunette remarked to himself.

"What? What is it?" Sakura asked nervously.

"I've… it's just…" Kiba fumbled over his words. "It's like the first day of spring. It's the smell of the first signs of life after winter. Gentle. Warm." He stepped back. Sakura opened her eyes.

"Is that ok?"

"It's more than ok, it's perfect." Kiba blushed and looked away. Sakura twirled a finger through her pink hair nervously. Never before had the hound-nin smelt anything quite like her. Her fragrance was intoxicating, pure, and honest. He had one of the best noses in Konoha, and he had sniffed more than a few women. But nothing like her. He had dreamt of an aroma like this; it reminded him of everything good in the world.

Sakura watched the man before her with intrigue. Something had happened between them that she could not explain.

"I'm pretty sure I'm winning," Sakura commented at random. She returned to her place on the couch and picked up her cards.

Kiba snapped back to reality. He hastily picked up his cards and rejoined Sakura on the couch.

"Don't be so sure, I still have a few tricks up my sleeves," the shinobi's competitive side started showing.

"So… what does Shino smell like?" Sakura asked randomly as she slid her fingers over her cards.

Kiba couldn't help but laugh. He smiled at the woman across from him.

"I'm serious. Does he smell like bugs?" Sakura scrunched her face at the thought of smelling like insects.

"No." Kiba chuckled. "He's more like charcoal; you know, like after a fire has burnt out. Something like that." Sakura pondered thoughtfully and played her next card.

"What about Hinata?"

"Are you going to ask for everyone's scent profile?" Kiba questioned playfully.

"But it's so intriguing. I've always been curious about it. Come on tell me." She pleaded.

"Alright. Hum… Hinata, she's more of a winter smell. Soft. Fragile. Like the first snow fall. Anyone else you care to know about?" Kiba smirked.

The two carried on discussing the scent signatures of their friends. The list grew shorter and shorter. Only a few people were left unmentioned. The atmosphere around them grew heavy as both realized the only people they both knew who had not been mentioned were Sasuke and Naruto.

Sakura's shoulders slumped and her eyes grayed as memories flooded her system. She looked down blankly at the cards in her hands. Kiba watched as the woman, who only moments ago was vibrant and alive, fade into shades of gray. He was not quite sure what to do or how to pull her out of her current state.

"I guess that just leaves Sasuke and Naruto, eh. Well, let me tell you." Kiba put his arm around Sakura and pulled her close. His voice was soft and low but with a hint of humor. He hoped he could make her laugh. "Sasuke smelled like fruit." Kiba remarked matter-of-factly. At this Sakura's drooped head perked up. "No joke. He was by far the fruitiest ninja I have ever laid nose on." Sakura let out a small forced laugh. "And don't even get me started on Naruto. I swear he smelled of ramen." Sakura smiled and nodded in agreement. "I didn't think it was possible for a person to truly smell of ramen, but Naruto was always full of surprises." The pink haired woman wiped away a few stray tears from her eyes.

"You know," she began softly. "He practically ate ramen for every meal."

"That's not hard to imagine, but that just made him the easiest person to shop for, for his birthday and stuff," Kiba tilted his head back as he remembered, "I don't think I can tell you how many times I gave him a giant box of cup ramen for his birthday."

"Tell me about it." Sakura snuggled into Kiba's shoulder. It was good to talk to him.

"Did he even know how to cook?" Kiba mused aloud.

"That's the funny part; he could cook!"

"No way!" Kiba retorted.

Sakura nodded. "He was actually pretty good at it too; he just _really_ enjoyed ramen." The woman leaned her head against the man's sturdy shoulder. She breathed him in slowly. Sakura had not expected Kiba to be exactly what she needed at her time of need. He had entertained her and took her mind off of the pain, if even for a moment. And even now, he was letting her let go of her pain. He let her remember without falling apart. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"Hey, no problem," Kiba rubbed her shoulder lightly.

"You know what you smell like?" Sakura inquired. Kiba looked at her thoughtfully.

"Do you mean to tell me what I smell like?" the man with the best nose in Konoha found the entire situation rather humorous. The girl next to him nodded enthusiastically. "Alright then, enlighten me." Kiba silently hoped he didn't smell like something offensive to the pink haired woman.

Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in the hound-nin's smell. It was warm and comforting.

"It reminds me of my favorite blanket. It makes me feel safe." She commented to the waiting shinobi. Kiba grinned. That was just the role he wanted to fill for her. He wanted to provide her with a sense of security. He wanted to be her safe place to run to when things got hard. He would not mind being a security blanket.


	4. Night and the Morning After

** I do not own Naruto or any related characters **

Enjoy!

* * *

The hours slowly slipped by and the moon had risen high in the clear evening sky. Akamaru let out a long yawn.

"He's right; it's late. I should be getting home now." The kunoichi tried to hide a yawn of her own.

"Let me walk you home," Kiba offered.

"No, I'll be fine," she responded as she rose from the couch. Kiba walked her to the door.

"Thanks for stopping by. It was fun," the man shoved his hands into his pockets. "And you're welcome here anytime."

"I'll keep that in mind," she smiled sweetly. "Good night." With a few swift hand motions, Sakura disappeared in a whirlwind of pink petals.

"Good night," he whispered into the cool night. The shinobi sauntered to his room and plopped down on his bed. As he stared up at the ceiling, he thought of the pink haired kunoichi. "Maybe she'll be ok," he spoke aloud. Akamaru came in the room and hopped up on the bed next to his master. "We did ok tonight, boy. We did ok."

* * *

Sakura arrived at the front door of her apartment. The place was dark and quiet. Usually she loved coming home to the stillness, but tonight it made her feel alone and vulnerable. She tried to brush it off as she went through the usual motions before going to bed.

By the time she snuggled into bed, the silence of the apartment had taken its toll. She pulled the blankets closer around her. Moments ago, she was smiling and having a nice time, but now it felt as if a different person enjoyed those moments, not her. Sakura did not understand how one heart could fall so suddenly back into sadness. The happiness she had did not last – a temporary fix to a dark, lingering cancer.

Sakura slipped into bed and pulled up the covers. Pink strands flowed across her pillow. She tried to sleep but sleep would not come. She tossed and turned restlessly.

"Naruto," Sakura called out quietly into the dark. "I… I miss you." Part of her felt silly talking to herself this way, but for some reason it also provided a hint of comfort. "I never thought you would ever leave me. It's hard – being alone. I should have gone with you; maybe then you would still be here." Guilt slipped into her soft voice. She should have pressed the issue farther; she should have gone anyway. She should have done something. Sakura sat up and rubbed her temples. Guilt always gave her a headache.

The pink-haired kunoichi got up and paced around her room. The pad of her bare feet interrupted the silence of her room. Her delicate nightdress swayed as she moved. At that moment, the young woman would have given anything to be in the arms of her lost love. She needed him; she needed to pretend that he wasn't gone forever.

Hastily and without full comprehension of her own actions, Sakura grabbed a coat and opened her window. She took a quick glance at the sleeping village. No one was around. She leapt from the windowsill and into the night. The air was cool and crisp. The night sky was clear, and the stars twinkled brightly. The kunoichi bounded from rooftop to rooftop silently. Sakura stopped a few yards away from her destination.

A little ways in front of Sakura sat a familiar building – the building where Naruto lived. Green eyes riveted onto one window – his window. Sakura took a deep breath before continuing. With one final leap, Sakura found herself outside of Naruto's window. Her hand softly touched the glass. She lifted the window with little difficulty; Naruto never locked his window. Sakura slipped into the rather messy room; even now, his disorganized style of living vexed her. She looked around and took it all in. His scent still lingered in the silent room. The pink haired woman wandered around listlessly; she really hadn't visited his apartment all that much. She came across one of Naruto's signature orange and black jackets. A smile came to the woman's face. She picked it up and pulled it into her arms. Sakura buried her face in the fabric and breathed in the remaining scent of the man she loved.

The pink haired woman made her way to Naruto's unmade bed. She snuggled down into the covers and held the orange and black jacket close to her chest. The comfort she found surrounded by his things lifted the poor girl's spirit. "Thanks Naruto," she smiled "you always could comfort me." A few silent tears slipped down Sakura's cheeks as she drifted into dreamless sleep.

* * *

The duo breathed heavily. Beads of sweat formed on his brow. His strong heart pounded in rhythm. The morning sun beat down upon them. Kiba and Akamaru neared the end of their routine morning run. Akamaru looked up happily at his running partner; they started the tradition of morning runs since he was a pup. The white hound sped up and took the lead. Kiba tilted his head in confusion; they usually only ran side by side. Suddenly, Akamaru took an unusual turn.

"Where are we going boy? We never go this way," Kiba called out to his companion with labored breaths. The hound simply let out a playful bark and darted forward. "Alright, where do you want to go?" Kiba patiently followed the white figure.

* * *

Sakura woke to the bright morning sun; she probably should have shut the binds. She yawned and stretched her sleepy limbs. Slightly startled, Sakura remembered that she had not gone back to her apartment. She had never spent the night at Naruto's place before; part of her wondered what it would have been like… to fall asleep in his arms and wake up next to him. But such ideas could never come true. Small, bare feet hit the cold floor as the woman rose from the bed.

"I should probably get home before anyone sees me like this," Sakura thought aloud as she brushed a hand over her rather skimpy nightgown. She still had a hard time believing she left the house in such a state. Hurriedly, Sakura grabbed her coat as well as Naruto's. With one last glance over the disorganized room, the kunoichi gave her farewell. "I'll be back soon." The window slid open as easily as it had the night before, and quickly Sakura was on her way home.

* * *

The hound stopped a little ways ahead of his master. His giant tail wagged happily.

"This is Sakura's neighborhood," Kiba remarked to his four-legged friend. To this, Akamaru barked in agreement. "You like her don't you," by now, the shinobi had reached his hound. "You know we smell bad and are really sweaty right?" Kiba eyed Akamaru curiously, but the hound was as stubborn as his master. "Well alright." The duo continued on to Sakura's apartment.

Kiba tried to mop up as much sweat as he could. He was certain Sakura would not be too pleased—especially if she was not yet awake. The pair bounded up the stairs. Kiba looked down at Akamaru, "No turning back you know. You sure about this?" Akamaru nodded his massive head. Kiba gulped and knocked on the door. No answer. Half-relieved Kiba made to leave. Akamaru had other plans. He sat down defiantly and pawed at the door.

"She might not be home, boy." Kiba tried to reason with the stubborn hound.

* * *

_Only a little bit farther then I'm in the clear,_ Sakura thought to herself. As of yet, no one had seen her. She could have just disappeared from Naruto's place in a puff of smoke and petals, but she had not yet had her morning cup of coffee and was sure to mess up the transportation. With her luck, she would reappear in the middle of the shopping center. She really didn't want to have to explain her appearance or her evening activities.

_Just up the stairs and…_ Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. Kiba.

* * *

He heard someone approaching and it smelled like spring.

Green eyes met brown; brown eyes met skimpy, silky nightgown.

"Kiba!" Sakura fumbled over her words. "Uh… what are you doing here?" She tried to sound casual as if nothing was amiss.

"Sa…Sakura?" Kiba could hardly pull his eyes away from the light fabric. He could not deny the fact that she looked rather tempting; he was male after all. But where had she been all night that she was just now coming home and dressed the way she was? Confusion, concern, and a twinge of jealousy swept over the shinobi.

"Sakura, I know you're upset right now and this is a rough time in your life, but this… this isn't the way to go. I'm really concerned about this Sakura." Kiba crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look the girl dead in the eyes.

Deep red flushed Sakura's cheeks; she did not know how to respond. "Can we talk about this inside?"

A bit taken aback, Kiba and Akamaru allowed Sakura to lead them into her home. The shinobi's mind was racing. He had quite the active imagination and the various stories he was weaving in his mind were far from appropriate.

Sakura locked the door after the trio had entered. She leaned her head against the hard wood; she had to explain this. Sure, she could tell him the truth, but the truth was awkward, and revealed a vulnerability that she was not sure she was willing to risk. But any other options she had of explaining this seemed even more absurd. Behind her, she could hear the hound-nin pacing. At this point, would he even accept the truth? Would he understand?

Kiba tried to shake the thoughts from his head; he shouldn't assume anything. _Sure she could have a perfect explanation for not coming home till dawn and being clad only in a silky, incredibly short nightgown… that nightgown…I didn't even know she owned something like that!_

"Please don't tell anyone," a small voice broke Kiba's train of thought. His eyes darted to the source. Her eyes were fixed on the floor; her hands were intertwined in nervousness; she bit her lip in embarrassment.

"Come on," Kiba stopped pacing and plopped down on her sofa. "Have a seat and um… tell me about your night." He tried his best to bring humor to the situation—for both their sakes. He offered her a welcoming grin. The medic-nin stared at him; this was not the reaction she was expecting. Timidly, she sat down on her sofa next to him. One deep breath and then another…

"It's not what you think, I promise."

Kiba internally celebrated.

"I couldn't sleep," the young woman fidgeted with the hem of her gown. "I um… Please don't think this is weird… I went to Naruto's place last night." Green eyes peered out of their corners to catch any reaction from the man next to her.

Kiba sat expressionless for a moment. He sighed and smiled to himself. "Is that is?" He laughed as he spoke.

"Don't laugh!" Sakura retorted a pink flush of anger rushing to her cheeks.

"And here I thought you were out gallivanting around."

Sakura let out a gasp of incensed disbelief.

"Don't give me that. What was I suppose to think with you in that… that…" Kiba fumbled for words. "But you know, I completely understand."

Green eyes darted to look at the shinobi. She tilted her head in confusion but waited for him to continue.

"There's something comforting about being where a loved one was— like a room, a favorite chair. In certain places, it feels almost like they're still there. And sometimes, if you're lucky, their scent is still there; like they've never really left." His voice was low and somber. Sakura could tell there was something much deeper to what he was saying.

"I did the same thing myself," Kiba pet his hound absentmindedly. "When my pops left." He paused. "I always say mom ran him away, but it was a really hard time on us, all of us. I would sneak away to his old study and stay there for hours, just because it was all I had left of him." Sakura remained silent. "Next time, just be mindful of what you are wearing for heaven's sake." With that, Kiba flashed Sakura a wolfish grin.

"What? You don't like my nightie?" She teased lightheartedly.

_If only you knew just how much I like it… _"Just go change ok," Kiba retorted.

Sakura left her seat and slipped into her room. She hastily found something to wear. "So, why are you here?" She called out from her room. "Not that I mind or anything."

"Don't know actually, Akamaru's idea, not mine," the young man thought about leaning back into the comfortable sofa, but remembered he was covered in sweat. "We were on a run and he wanted to see you."

"That's a pretty good line; I bet it works well with the ladies," the pink-haired woman teased.

"I'm serious. Totally his idea."

Sakura stifled a laugh as she finished changing in her room.

"What _do_ you want boy?" Kiba asked his hound. The massive beast responded with tail wagging. "I think he wants you to train with us this morning. That wouldn't be such a bad idea. Hey Sakura, what would you say to an invitation to spar with us today?"

Sakura paused for a moment contemplating the offer. It probably would do her some good to get out some of her pent up energy. "Well, if Akamaru insists," the kunoichi responded lightheartedly. "But after I've had my coffee."

* * *

The three walked down the busy streets of Konoha. The sun glistened in a clear blue sky. The rains of the day before were nothing but a memory in the skies above. Everywhere one could look, life existed. The street was alive with the presence of villagers and shinobi alike. A steady hum of noise exuded from the various shops and stops along the road. Kimono clad women efficiently went about their daily chores while children darted in play among the crowd. Gray-haired old men haggled over the price of various goods as they have always done. Gaggles of women could be spotted in clumps mulling over the day's freshest gossip. That gossip quickly turned to the pink-haired woman walking down the road.

"There goes that Haruno girl," a woman whispered to her friend next to her.

"What a pity; that poor thing," the friend whispered back.

Hushed voices washed by the trio as they walk on. _I hope she doesn't notice, _Kiba wished to himself.

"Just seeing that medic-nin makes me think of that boy, you know Uzumaki," a shopkeeper addressed his patron.

"I can't believe he's really gone, after all he's done for this village," the patron replied.

Kiba looked around at the villagers. All eyes were on the pink-haired woman.

"Is that really her? I was told she lost all her teammates, even her sensei."

"Yes, that's her. Didn't you see her at the funeral for that Uzumaki boy?"

The shinobi gave the pair a meaningful glare. But more continued to whisper as the kunoichi passed by. Sakura walked on. _Perhaps she can't hear them._ Kiba stole a glance at the woman beside him. Her jaw was set, her neck stiff, her steps determined. In her eyes, she betrayed no emotion. Her hands clenched into tight fists. Akamaru looked up at his master woefully. He could sense the turmoil taking place within Sakura.

_What should I do? Maybe this was a bad idea…_ the hound-nin struggled with the situation. "So, nice day, eh?" Akamaru barked happily in agreement. Both the man and his hound feebly attempted small talk to take Sakura's mind away from the waves of whispers and stares. The woman did not respond. It was taking everything she had to not break down. They continued walking in tense silence.

They approached a fork in the road. Instinctively, the silent kunoichi turned left. Kiba and Akamaru paused. That was the way to her old training grounds with Team 7. Suddenly, Sakura stopped. She bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Kiba felt utterly useless as he watched the internal storm rage inside of the woman before him. He had to do something. Anything.

"Oh, come on. Don't think I'll give you home field advantage just because you're a girl." Kiba's voice broke Sakura's internal battle. She spun around to face him. "We're going to my turf. And I won't take any objections." He smiled knowingly.

She nodded gratefully and changed her course. In her eyes, relief and thanks shimmered. "And I say looser does dishes tonight." Kiba added in his usual competitive manner.

"What do you mean?" Sakura finally spoke.

"You're gonna come back to my house for dinner right? We never really settled that card game." Kiba smiled generously.

_Thank you, Kiba. _Sakura whispered to herself.

* * *

"Here we are." Kiba stretched out his arms showing off his familiar training grounds. It was a little smaller than her old training spot, and it had more trees. Kiba scratched his head while he pondered. "One on two isn't fair…. Well boy, you'll have to sit out on this one." The hound responded with a dejected look.

"Well someone has to be the referee," Sakura added hopefully. The hound perked up at this suggestion and happily sauntered over to a nearby shade tree. He plopped himself down, crossed his paws in front of him, and focused his attention on the match that was about to begin. "Though it occurs to me he might be a little biased," Sakura whispered to Kiba.

"Yeah, in your favor. I think he likes you better," Kiba retorted with an annoyed grunt. To which Sakura couldn't help but giggle. "Nothing too fancy ok. Just taijutsu and basic ninjutsu. What do you say?"

"Deal; best out of three?" Sakura responded as she pulled her gloves on tighter.

"Sure," Kiba tightened his forehead protector.

The match started suddenly. The two performed basic maneuvers with deadly accuracy. Kunai and shuriken whizzed through the air. They fought not to harm but to test each other. Each move was a deliberate attempt to calculate the other's strengths and abilities.

"That all you got?" Kiba grinned wolfishly.

"I was about to say the same thing," Sakura flashed him a devious smirk.

The pair continued. Kiba rejoiced internally as he felt Sakura's spark and fight return to her. A vibrant emerald green had replaced the lifeless dull that had been there in her eyes for far too long.

* * *

"So it's agreed. First round goes to you, second to me…"

"I let you win that one," she grinned.

He scowled in response, "We'll see about that. One more round. What would you say to a slight shift in location? There's a little wooded area not too far from here."

"A change in scenery won't help you win," the kunoichi teased. "Well, lead the way oh esteemed dish washer."

"Hey you haven't won anything yet. I won't go easy on you this time." They bantered the entire way to the next training area.

As they approached the area, a single form could be seen training.

"Oi, it's Hinata," Kiba quickened his pace to great his teammate. "Oi, Hinata. Hinata!"

The woman turned around startled by the intrusion. Her eyes were moist with tears.

"Hinata! What's wrong?" Kiba jogged over to the pale-eyed woman. Sakura followed only steps behind the shinobi.

"Kiba-kun," Hinata's timid voice barely reached the shinobi's ears. "I… I'm sorry. I was just… just training."

"I see that," he responded "but why the tears?"

The Hyuuga stole a swift glance at Sakura. She fidgeted with her hands nervously. A few stray tears continued to slip down her cheeks.

"I… need to… to be stronger. For him."

Kiba looked at the girl quizzically. Sakura turned her head away as she understood exactly what Hinata meant.

"I hardly have the right to – not…not like you do," she stole another glance in Sakura's direction, "but I… I miss him. I miss him so much…" her sentence was muffled by sniffles. "If… if I think about getting stronger, I… feel closer to him."

Kiba's brown eyes widened with realization. _Naruto_. He placed a tender hand on his teammate's shoulder.

Sakura had turned her back on the scene. She had wrapped her arms tightly about her. Her shoulders had slumped forward and her head bent low. Kiba looked over to her. She was falling apart all over again. Was there nothing he could do? He looked again at Hinata. He had come to know her very well. Gauging on the level of tears, he figured she was doing ok. She was venting her emotions, her pain, and all that hurt within her. She would be ok. It would be best if she went home, or to see Ten-ten.

"Akamaru," the white hound sauntered closer. "Why don't you take Hinata over to Ten-ten's place?" He instructed his faithful companion. "What do ya say Hinata? You shouldn't go through this alone." Hinata looked over Kiba's shoulder to the medic-nin. She nodded timidly.

In low whispers, Hinata murmured to her teammate, "She really needs you now." Kiba nodded slightly startled by the pale-eyed woman's words.

"You sure it's ok that he takes you to Ten-ten's?"

She nodded in response. "Thank you, Kiba."

With one quick, reassuring look between teammates, Akamaru and Hinata left for Ten-Ten's place. Kiba watched until the pair had leapt into the trees and out of sight. He turned to the pink-haired woman behind him.

"Sakura?"

"We need to finish our match," the woman feigned her lighthearted tone.

"Alright," Kiba ceded.

The kunoichi and shinobi faced each other ready for their final match. Sakura came at him ferociously. This match was vastly different from their previous two rounds. Sakura had changed. Kiba winced at the realization as he dodged a chakra-laden punch. Her emotions were getting the better of her.

She lashed out without control or purpose. Her movements were erratic. Her chakra flowed freely. Kiba would be out for the count if she managed to land one on him. Her moves became thoughtless and risky. She left herself open to potentially major blows had Kiba taken them.

"Sakura, that's enough." Kiba spoke firmly. This could only end poorly if he did not end it now.

The pink-haired kunoichi smirked devilishly. "You're just afraid I'll beat you," she hissed in response. Her breathing became labored as she swung like mad at her opponent.

Kiba artfully dodged her attacks and led her further into the wooded area of the training grounds, "Sakura, listen to me. You need to stop." His strong voice fell on deaf ears. He jumped from tree to tree using the terrain to provide distance between them. The leaves seemed to quiver in their presence. The air even felt alive with the kunoichi's rage. Kiba ground his teeth together in frustration. He needed to regain control of the situation. Kiba lunged at the woman before him. He firmly grabbed her wrists to stop her devastating blows. She struggled in his grasp.

"I won't give up!" she howled. Hot tears began to pool in her fierce green eyes.

"It's not about that, Sakura. You're out of control!" Angry green eyes glared at him. Sakura wrested free of the hound-nin's grip. Her right arm found its strength once again; her fist missed the shinobi by fractions. The tall oak that unfortunately met her fist broke into hundreds of pieces. The crashing of timber echoed in the wooded area. Birds dashed from their perches desperate for escape. Kiba growled low in his throat.

"I'm fine! You're just afraid to lose to me." Her disturbed laugh echoed in the forest around them.

"You're not fine. I know you are hurt. I understand. But just because Naruto's dead doesn't mean you can lose control like this!" Kiba regretted the words he spoke as soon as they left his lips.

"How DARE you! What do you know? You know nothing about me!" The kunoichi snarled in response. _Damn, _Kiba scolded himself. _How could I be so terrible with words?_

"Sakura, STOP NOW," he roared. The woman finally responded. She halted her barrage. Her fists were still clenched by her sides and her eyes still glimmered with unshed tears. Her green eyes glowered; her jaw was set, her posture stiff and tense. Kiba dared not breathe a sigh of relief – not just yet. He stood firm against her, not wavering.

Defiant and yet broken, a single tear streaked down Sakura's flushed face. Without a word, she turned and stomped away.

"Where do you think you are going?" Kiba questioned his voice still authoritative.

In a voice deathly cold and devoid of emotion, Sakura responded. "Kiba, where I go is none of your concern. I am fully capable of taking care of myself. Your assistance is not necessary – or wanted." She continued to march onward.

"Sakura, wait," Kiba tried to make his voice more gentle. She paused for a moment. In an instant, she was surrounded by a puff of smoke and disappeared.

Kiba smirked, "You know you can't get away from me. I've got the best nose in…" The smoke wafted toward him, a spicy, bitter odor reached his sensitive snout. "Damn, Sakura!" Kiba rubbed at his nose furiously. He had to give it to her though; very few people knew that the scent of clary sage could completely immobilize an Inuzuka's sense of smell for hours at a time. The shinobi plopped down in defeat. He grumbled to himself dejectedly.

Within moments, one giant, fluffy hound came bounding toward Kiba.

"Akamaru!" The hound-nin instantly began crafting a new plan for tracking down the stubborn kunoichi.

The hound paused for a moment with a confused look on his furry face; he took one big sniff of the air around him and his master.

"Akamaru, NO!" Kiba had forgotten that the air was still laced with the smell of clary sage. The hound sneezed in annoyance and pawed at his snout. Kiba sighed in further defeat. "Looks like she wins this one, boy," Kiba stroked Akamaru distractedly. The hound plopped down beside his master, paws crossed huffily over his nose.


	5. Friendly Advice

**I do not own "Naruto" or any related characters**

* * *

Sakura wandered in a numb daze. Her rage had cooled and a listless feeling settled in its place. Her feet drug languidly as she ambled on. Naruto – dead. It was still a difficult concept to swallow. Sure, she had been told of his demise by the Hokage, had been given his bloodstained forehead protector, and attended his funeral, yet it all seemed to be a terrible and twisted lie, a dream from which she could awaken. To hear Kiba say the truth so bluntly – the truth she cowered to face – was simply more than she could take. She had learned to accept the death of so many others: Sasuke, Sai, and Kakashi. She had attended their graves and left flowers of remembrance by their headstones, but Naruto's grave was left unvisited and unadorned by her.

What led her to the cemetery escaped her knowledge, but soon enough she found herself near familiar rows of Konoha's best, laid to rest. She laid a gentle hand on the tombstone of the last Uchiha. Only two rows away, lay Sai's last resting place. Three places to the left of him stood Kakashi's modest memorial.

The sound of footsteps made Sakura suddenly aware of the presence of others in the cemetery. She turned suddenly, her pink hair whipping around her. Pale blue eyes looked curiously at her. For one heartbeat, those blue eyes belonged to one knuckleheaded ninja.

"Gosh, Sakura, don't look at me like you've never seen me before."

"I… I wasn't expecting you, Ino." Sakura replied.

"Well don't sound so sad about it, forehead." Ino quietly placed a small bouquet of flowers at the foot of Sarutobi Asuma's headstone. "You look terrible, you know." Ino commented without turning her eyes away from her Sensei's grave.

"I got beat by Kiba in a sparring match," Sakura remarked casually.

"Hum," Ino stole a sideways glance at her childhood rival. "I know you hate to lose, but I wonder if something else is bothering you."

Sakura slipped a strand of pink behind her ear and lied, "Well, you know, it really is embarrassing to lose to him of all people."

"Right, and because you lost, you decided a visit to Konoha's cemetery would perk you up."

Sakura struggled for a response.

"You've never been a good liar," the other responded frankly.

"But I really did lose to him." She put up a feeble protest. Ino looked hard at the woman in front of her.

"What happened?" her voice was authoritative in its request.

Begrudgingly, Sakura relayed the events of the morning – conveniently leaving out the part about her sleeping at Naruto's apartment. Ino merely nodded as she listened attentively. As she spoke, the anger she had felt resurfaced.

"How could he say that!" Sakura bit back hurt.

"Because, regardless of his lack of tact, he's right," Ino's bold eyes looked straight into Sakura's. "You've never been one to be beat – unless it was against me of course. You can't let this beat you; you can't let the loss of Naruto crush you. You're stronger than that. And maybe Inuzuka is the only person stupid enough to challenge you to see it." Her words were honest and blunt.

Sakura looked down into her hands. This all seemed too much for her. How was she supposed to continue? Maybe she had been beat and it was time to admit defeat.

Ino's voice softened. "I never said you had to forget or that you had to stop caring for him, or any of those whom you have lost." She placed a tender hand on the shoulder of her comrade. "But they would not want to see you this way. And you know it."

"I just never thought… never thought he would be gone. I didn't know it would be this hard. I underestimated how much he meant to me – to all of us." The words came out slowly. Her green eyes drifted to the place where Naruto lay. To her surprise, someone else was there – Konohamaru. The two kunoichi fell into silence as they watched.

"Naruto, I keep practicing the rasengan that you taught me." The youth's voice was steady and sincere. "I think I'm getting better, but I can only do one. But I hope I'll be as good at it as you one day." He paused, a slight smile played on his lips. "You were right about Moegi. But she says she won't go on a date with me. Girls are hard to figure out. But I'll remember what you told me 'Never give up.'" Konohamaru paused again. "I wish you were here to talk to. I miss you." He stood up silently. "But I won't ever give up; I'm going to become Hokage one day. Just you wait," his voice faintly reminiscent of the blonde he so adored. He smiled solemnly. "I have to go; sensei has us training really hard. I'll come back soon though." The young shinobi wiped a stray tear away from his eyes as he left the hallowed ground.

"You should go over there," Ino nudged gently.

Sakura fidgeted uncomfortably. She could not face it – not just yet. "I will; I'm not ready yet."

Ino looked hard at her friend. "Well, at least you're not lying now."

Sakura feigned a smirk. "I think I should go make things right with Kiba." Ino nodded in agreement. The pink-haired woman stood slowly. Her eyes took in the entire scene once more before she turned and walked away. "Thank you, Ino."

"Sakura," Ino began, "I'm here… if you need me." The two parted ways. Sakura turned her attention to making things right with the hound-nin.


End file.
